'Bank balance would've been bigger if I hadn’t fought with Gautam Gambhir' - Manoj Tiwary

Former India cricketer Manoj Tiwary announced his retirement from all forms of the game after leading Bengal in the 2024 Ranji Trophy. The former two-time champions and last season's finalists couldn't progress beyond the league stage.

Tiwary, who completed 10,000 first-class runs during the campaign, has been dropping bombshells after hanging up his boots. The right-handed batter, who played 12 ODIs and 3 T20Is, said that he wants to ask MS Dhoni why he dropped him from the Indian team, even after scoring a match-winning ton against West Indies in December, 2011, before getting snubbed.

Now, the 38-year-old, who was a part of Kolkata Knight Riders' side that won their first Indian Premier League title in 2012, said that he had a fight with then-captain Gautam Gambhir, which led to his release from the squad and prevented him from fortifying his bank balance.

According to Tiwary, the unpleasant incident with Gambhir happened during IPL 2013 and he was subsequently released ahead of the 2014 IPL auctions. The Howrah-born said that he would have earned a lot more money in his career had he been with KKR for a few more seasons.

“During my time at KKR, I had a big fight with Gambhir in the dressing room. That never came to light. KKR became the champion in 2012. At that time, I managed to hit four, so the team won. I got a chance to play for KKR one more year. Had I not fought with Gambhir in 2013, maybe I would have played for another two-three years. That means the amount I was supposed to get as per the contract would have gone up. Bank balance would be strengthened. But I never thought about that," Manoj Tiwary told Anandabazar Patrika.

"Leave me if you can't put me in the XI" - Manoj Tiwary reveals how his tenure with Delhi Daredevils ended in 2015

In the 2014 IPL auction, Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) roped in Tiwary for INR 2.8 crore. He revealed how a miscommunication with the team management led to his release from the franchise.

"Gary Kirsten was the coach when I played for Delhi Capitals. I was seeing in front of my eyes in one match after another that the first eleven was not going well. The combination was not correct. Eligible cricketers were not getting a chance to play. Many were out due to injuries. The results of the team were not good. I went straight and said, leave me if you can't put me in the XI. My contract then was INR 2.8 crore. I never thought that if I said this, they would misunderstand me and leave me. Never thought of my loss,” Tiwary concluded.

Also Read: CAB felicitates Manoj Tiwary for illustrious career